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But, while sitting on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him in a private spot, asking: “Tell us, when will this occur?1 {MK13:4 and the sign when all this will be fulfilled?2} And, what will be the sign3 of your Arrival4 [Daniel 7:22; 12:2] and the complete end5 of the Age?”6 [Daniel 9:26, 27] {LK21:7 “When will this all occur?”7}
| 1 | When will this occur: These questions are a compound from all three of the Gospels. When only the Book of Matthew is relied upon some have drawn a different conclusion. We feel it more accurate to include elements from all three witnesses. Do these Jewish disciples of the Nazarene have in mind the Temple? Perhaps they assume the shocking prediction of the Temple’s destruction means the Return of the Messiah in his foretold royal Presence? Their question cannot come from a clear understanding when they did not comprehend much simpler matters regarding the Messiah. If one argues their question in Matthew 24:3 was inspired then it needs to be explained why Mark and Luke omit this part. Just before the ascension of Christ these same men asked: ‘Are you restoring the Kingdom of Israel now?’ (Acts 1:6) Godly men have asked the question “When?” for thousands of years (Psalm 90:13; Habakkuk 1:2). |
| 2 | Fulfilled: In Mark’s Gospel the Greek word SYNTELEISTHAI is used which means “fulfilled” and is similar to Matthew’s SYNTELEIAS (with + end) which means “ending together” or “conclusion.” When we say this we understand that Matthew originally wrote in Hebrew and later translated it into Greek, thus the Nazarene or his disciples never uttered the actual Greek word SYNTELEIAS. It is likely Matthew translates the Hebrew (or, Aramaic) kalah; (see Strong’s #3617) which means “completion, completely destroyed.” The word chosen by Matthew for this Hebrew was SYNTELEIAS. |
| 3 | Sign: This is the Greek SEMEION which occurs again at Matthew 24:30. Note it also occurs in the Jewish Greek Septuagint (LXX) of the Second or Third Century BCE at Daniel 9:27 (SYNTELEIAS). |
| 4 | Arrival: This is the Greek PAROUSIA and means “arrival” or a royal visit (See Thayer’s or Vine’s). Strong’s #3952, “advent, return, coming, presence.” It is only used in one of the Gospels, Matthew. Paul uses it with reference to the return of Christ at 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 9. Jesus had never been recorded using this word by Matthew as the Greek translator. It is believed the Nazarene spoke Hebrew (with certain Aramaic loan words) and so it is possible he used a word like athah; (Strong’s #857, #858, meaning “arrive”) from Daniel 7:13, 22. In the other two Gospels dealing with this subject “the end” of Jerusalem’s Temple, other synonyms are used instead of PAROUSIA: Mark 13:26 ERCHOMENON; Mark 13:35 ERCHETAI (= coming), and, Mark 13:36 ELTHON (= arrive). Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines PAROUSIA (Strong’s #3952) as “the coming, arrival, advent… the future, visible return from heaven of Jesus.” The Dictionary of New Testament Theology (DNTT), volume 2, page 898, explains: “Technically the noun is used for the arrival of a ruler or king… The idea of parousia now becomes bound up with the church’s expectations of Christ’s appearing.” |
| 5 | Complete end: Here the Greek is a heightened form of TELOS (= end), SYNTELEIAS (= with + end). The disciples likely assumed that the destruction of the Temple meant the Return (Presence) or Arrival of Christ and therefore “the end of the world” as they knew it. The Greek translator of Matthew (likely Matthew himself) puts the word SYNTELEIAS in the disciples’ mouth. This is a word that only occurred once before in the Nazarene’s parable of wheat and tares at Matthew 13:40. However, note this word occurs in the Jewish Greek Bible (LXX) at Daniel 9:27 in the context of Jerusalem’s foretold ‘desolation.’ Compare also Hebrews 9:26 where SYNTELEIA is used with regard to the First Coming of Christ in the “last days” of the Jewish Age (Hebrews 1:1; Acts 2:17; Jude 18; 1 Corinthians 10:11). Judging from Jesus’ admission that he does not ‘know the day and hour’ (Matthew 24:36) there is no way the Nazarene could tell his disciples about the date of “the complete end” or SYNTELEIAS. |
| 6 | Age: This is the Greek AIONOS which is corrupted into English by aeon or eon. Though in certain contexts the old English word “world” might be correctly understood, it is often misleading for it gives the idea the earth and all life on it is to end. However, the word “Age” conveys a certain period of time during which certain contemporaries live, such as the Age of the Dinosaurs or the Atomic Age. The King James translators did use AION (Strong’s #165 1074) as “ages” in Ephesians 2:7 and Colossians 1:26 so they were fully aware of its real meaning. The implication of “world” might be misleading. |
| 7 | When will this all occur: Can anyone argue that the disciples did not have in mind the Temple and its destruction? |
Dear Friends of the Nazarene,
We choose Matthew 24:3 as the theme verse of chapter twenty-four – Two Signs. One of the most studied chapters of Bible begins by describing the setting of Christ with four of his apostles looking over Jerusalem and her Temple. [1, 2] They ask a two-fold question: a] When will Jerusalem be destroyed? And, b] What will be the sign of Christ’s parousia?
The Nazarene Master answers the initial part first and he begins with a general warning not to be misled by false claims, false prophets, and false proclamations. [4-8] Christ explains what will happen to his disciples before the desolation of Jerusalem – war and revolts, food shortages and earthquakes. Christ then described the Christian ministry and response to it. [9-14] They will face persecution by the Jews and the Romans. The love of many Christians will cool, and yet the Kingdom Gospel will be preached before the end of the Jewish Age.
The actual “sign” of Jerusalem’s end will be the fulfillment of Daniel 9:26, 27 with foreign armies surrounding Jerusalem. [15-28] It will be a time of “great oppression” also foretold by Daniel 12:1. False Anointed and prophets will produce miracles to mislead the Elect. The disciples are not to believe the message that “Christ is here!” or any private and isolated appearances such as in a bedroom or out in the desert. The final coming of the Messiah will be observable to everyone just as lightning from horizon to horizon.
Now the Master moves from the subject of Jerusalem’s desolation to the Parousia, blending the two at first. [29-35] Following the “great oppression” – a second one if you will before the return of Christ – different signs will take place. After the “great oppression” celestial darkness will occur – causing great perplexity and fear among humans – paving the way for the appearance of the Sign of the Son of Man in the atmosphere and the visible appearance of Jesus on the clouds of the sky. It is then he will send forth his angels to gather the Saints from all over the globe. When these signs are observed by the Saints living at that time that “generation will not die” before all is fulfilled.
Our Master now cautions his disciples – both then and now – that no can know the “day and hour’ of these events. [36-41] Only the Father knows this date and season. In general people will ignore these matters just as people did in the days of Noah. People will be saved or abandoned as close as two working in the fields or mill. So the disciples must remain awake in anticipation of Christ’s unexpected appearance. [42-51] They must be on guard against over-eating, heavy drinking and anxieties over livelihood.
Jesus then uses a parable of a Master leaving his household in the attendance of a “faithful and discreet slave.” Upon his return – at any hour of the day or night – the Master will judge his slaves as to whether they were good or bad. Evil slaves will be cast out to share extinction with other religious hypocrites.
Abba our Father bless those who remain awake.
[15 November 2002]
The disciples, still thinking of what the Lord had said, ask three questions: (1) When shall these things be? That is, the overthrow of the temple. (2) What shall be the sign of the coming? And (3) of the end of the world? They supposed these events would be simultaneous-a mistake. To understand what follows we must keep in mind that he has three questions to answer, nor are the answers blended.
